"Window Peekers"

        We experienced our first "window peeker" of the year when Spring was trying to push its way through the cold wintery winds. We weren’t ready, but, there it was, a lovely hummingbird, looking into the front window, flying back and forth to see if there were any intelligent life forms in the house. I opened the door and said, "Hold on, and I’ll be right out." (I talk to birds all the time. I know they understand me.) I got my feeders out of storage, cleaned them up good, and then filled them with a ratio of one cup of sugar to four cups of water. Thus, started our ritual of feeding hummingbirds for the season. As a rule, most people, including me, love feeding hummingbirds because it gives them a chance to get up close and personal. Our Hummers have us trained well. When we do not pay attention to the sugar water level, and feeders are getting really low, little hummers show up at our front window, swooping back and forth, back and forth as a reminder, to pay attention! Fill it up!

        This morning, at 10:00 a.m. I filled our three hummingbird feeders, our thistle sock, and our ‘all seed feeder’ . . . clear to the very top. When we returned home at 1:30 p.m. our yard was full of birds, and all the feeders were eaten way down. In each tree holding each feeder there was a line of perching birds flying to and from the feeders, taking their turn to feed in rhythmic harmony. Why so many birds? It may be Spring here, but its snowing fifty miles north and the birds have opted to stick around until it warms up.

        For summer enjoyment, hang some feeders in your yard, i.e. an all-seed feeder, finch bag, and two or three hummingbird feeders. You can be sure that once birds find your feeders they will show up on a yearly basis. Having feathered friends around could turn into an addiction. When this happens, you will look forward to window peekers.

        This week’s artist is Jerry Orban. The picture is drawn with color pencils. Thanks to Jerry for his interest in birds. If you would like to learn about "Tracking Birds Through Time" plan to attend the next Red Cliffs Audubon General Meeting, Wednesday, May 12, 2010 at 7:00 p.m. in the Tonaquint Nature Center. Dr. Jerry Harris, DSC will be our presenter. For more information about birds or Red Cliffs Audubon activities call Marilyn Davis at 435 673-0996.